DEI on this campus is being taken seriously. One of our most honored and active forms of diversity - long before Strategy 5 was developed - became a reality in 2006 when the Efroymson family generously invested in this important work. Since then, the Efroymson Diversity Center (DC) has expanded to support over a dozen identity-based student organizations, skilled student employees, an inviting and comfortable physical space, passionate diversity scholarship recipients, access to counseling services, and much more. Supporting the DC on this Day of Giving will allow us support all students - not just those from underrepresented backgrounds.
Moving into 2024, we are looking forward to continuing our support of students through:
Dawg Days Pre-Orientation Program
The Dawg Days experience provides historically marginalized and/or underrepresented students with an enriching opportunity to maximize belonging at Butler University. First-year students arrive on campus to spend four days with their like-minded peers before beginning the formal orientation process with the wider Butler community. Within these four days, they
- gain an effective mentor (a returning upperclassmen Butler student) to support their successful transition to Butler throughout the full academic year
- explore opportunities for identity development and increased DEI competence
- listen to and share lived experience to establish/utilize their voices generating inclusivity
- become introduced to a comprehensive understanding of the community resources available to them on campus
This program does not stop at its impact with our first-year students; returning students who have maintained an active role in the DC community within the last academic year are given an opportunity to apply for a Peer Advocate or Student Coordinator role. These positions allow us to not only inspire peer-to-peer support, but extend our reach to a diverse range of student experiences and positionalities within campus.
Your support will move us closer to our goal to provide all meals during the experience free to all students, purchase tickets to excursions around the Indianapolis area to expose students to the broader community, provide opportunities for networking with local and on-campus leadership, and provide stipends to student coordinators for their service during the week.
Student Assistant Part-Time Paid Positions
The DC Student Assistants play a vital role in supporting the day-to-day operations of the diversity center, exemplifying wrap-around support for student involvement, diversity and inclusion, and engagement within Butler University. These students provide critical capacity-building to our team, continuing the maintenance of necessary tasks such as:
- Acting as the first welcoming face that incoming students and guests see when they enter the space, operating as a representative member of our community and providing tours to prospective students with their families
- Regularly maintaining and replenishing our inventory dedicated to providing free personal hygiene items, a communal kitchenette, and welcoming prayer and meditation space
- Amplifying the center’s social media accounts by designing and posting graphics and maintaining audience engagement
- Assisting with the implementation of DC programs and events
- Vocalizing student needs and creating projects to directly respond to these needs
By participating in our Day of Giving, your gift will enable us to continue providing competitive wages, increased hours, and staff mentorship to up to eight students within the 2024-2025 academic year.
We would love your support in actualizing our vision of ensuring every student has equitable access to opportunities to belong and thrive as an authentic holistic person. By making a gift today, we will be able to further our work to educate and empower students to reach their unique potentials in all that they do.
Featured Challenge
Latinx Student Union Challenge
The Latinx Student Union is dedicated to fostering a community of diversity and inclusivity within Butler University, bringing awareness to the Latinx culture. Help support student leaders to develop, educate, empower, and unite Latinx students on Butler's campus by making a gift today. 25 gifts to the Latinx Student Union will unlock $2,500 in additional funding which students hope to use to provide more opportunities for the campus to try new Latinx cuisines and to purchase merch so that they can proudly display their heritage across campus.
LGBT Alumni Association Promotion of Diversity Scholarship Challenge
Join the LGBT Alumni Association in support of the Promotion of Diversity Scholarship. 15 gifts to this challenge will unlock $2,500 towards the LGBT Alumni Association Promotion of Diversity Scholarship. This scholarship provides financial aid to students who promote diversity and have distinguished themselves as effective advocates for LGBT students at Butler University.
